JANUARY
Top hit
I Feel Fine · The Beatles
Top album
Beatles '65 · The Beatles
Year
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One moment while we pull together the music from this year.
Electric folk crossover
1965
Dylan plugs in at Newport, the Byrds jangle protest into pop, and British volume meets American studio ambition on every chart.
Folk Rock Finds Its Pulse
Dylan plugs in at Newport and the argument over what folk means becomes the year's loudest backstage conversation. The Byrds jangle through 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and prove that protest poetry can wear a backbeat without losing its teeth. British bands keep flooding in, but American artists are learning to answer with volume, attitude, and studio ambition. American artists answer British volume with attitude, ambition, and guitars turned up to confession.
- folk rock
- Bob Dylan
- The Byrds
- British Invasion
- protest pop
- Dylan goes electric at Newport Folk Festival
- The Byrds' 'Mr. Tambourine Man' tops the charts
- The Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction' redefines guitar riffs
- James Brown's 'Papa's Got a Brand New Bag' births funk
Hot 100 · weeks at #1
Top songs
Album chart · weeks at #1
Top albums
Through the year
Tap a month to drill into chart weeks.
FEBRUARY
Top hit
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' · The Righteous Brothers
Top album
Beatles '65 · The Beatles
MARCH
Top hit
My Girl · The Temptations
Top album
Beatles '65 · The Beatles
APRIL
Top hit
Stop! In The Name Of Love · The Supremes
Top album
—
MAY
Top hit
Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter · Herman's Hermits
Top album
—
JUNE
Top hit
Help Me, Rhonda · The Beach Boys
Top album
—
JULY
Top hit
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) · Four Tops
Top album
Beatles VI · The Beatles
AUGUST
Top hit
I'm Henry Viii, I Am · Herman's Hermits
Top album
Beatles VI · The Beatles
SEPTEMBER
Top hit
Help! · The Beatles
Top album
Out Of Our Heads · The Rolling Stones
OCTOBER
Top hit
Hang On Sloopy · The Mccoys
Top album
Help! (Soundtrack) · The Beatles
NOVEMBER
Top hit
Get Off Of My Cloud · The Rolling Stones
Top album
Help! (Soundtrack) · The Beatles
DECEMBER
Top hit
Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) · The Byrds
Top album
Whipped Cream & Other Delights · Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass